Understanding Writing Habit in College: A Survey of Higher Education Students

Authors

  • Renggi Vrika Universitas Islam Negeri Imam Bonjol Padang

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29408/veles.v7i2.21477

Keywords:

Higher Education, Writing Habit, Writing Journey

Abstract

This research investigates the writing habits of students in higher education, employing a case study approach to attain a comprehensive understanding of these practices. The case study methodology is utilized to delve deeply into the intricate writing behaviors, motivations, and challenges faced by individual college students. Through a sample of 232 students from diverse faculties, insights are gathered via a meticulously designed survey that covers aspects such as writing frequency, time allocation, methodologies employed, and encountered difficulties. The findings underscore that, despite the diversity of academic disciplines, expected trends in writing habits emerge among students. While the initiation of writing may seem straightforward, challenges arise during the process, often leading to task-driven completion rather than the cultivation of consistent writing habits. The findings highlight the value of personalized interventions that identify the unique obstacles and motivations inherent in each field, allowing educators to fine-tune writing support programs. This research contributes to a nuanced understanding of writing practices in higher education, shedding light on students' attitudes toward writing. By acknowledging the diverse motivations and challenges faced, educators can strategically enhance writing support initiatives, fostering an environment where effective writing habits can flourish. The insights gleaned from this study not only inform academic discourse but also offer practical implications for educators seeking to empower students on their writing journey

References

Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review, 84(2), 191–215. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.84.2.191

Beard, R., Myhill, D., Nystrand, M., & Riley, J. (2009). The SAGE handbook of writing development. In The SAGE Handbook of Writing Development. https://doi.org/10.4135/9780857021069

Bereiter, C., & Scardamalia, M. (1987). The psychology of written composition.

Bruner, J. S. (1966). Toward a Theory of Instruction. Harvard University Press.

Cole, J., & Feng, J. (2015). Effective strategies for improving writing skills of elementary English language learners. Chinese American Educational Research and Development Association Annual Conference, 1–25.

De Smedt, F., Merchie, E., Barendse, M., Rosseel, Y., De Naeghel, J., & Keer, H. Van. (2018). Cognitive and Motivational Challenges in Writing: Studying the Relation With Writing Performance Across Students’ Gender and Achievement Level. Source: Reading Research Quarterly, 53(2), 249–272. https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq

Durrant, P., Brenchley, M., & McCallum, L. (2021). Understanding Development and Proficiency in Writing. In Understanding Development and Proficiency in Writing. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108770101

Elliot, J. A., Dweck, C. S., & Yeager, D. S. (2017). Handbook of Competence and Motivation. In The Guilford Press. The Guilford Press.

Essex. (2000). How to improve your academic writing. University of Essex.

Gere, A. R. (2018). Developing writers in higher education: A longitudinal study. In Developing Writers in Higher Education: A Longitudinal Study. https://doi.org/10.3998/mpub.10079890

Hayes, J. R., & Flower, L. (1980). Identifying the organization of writing processes Negotiating Knowledge and Advocating Change: Teaching for Transformative Practice. Garrett Stack and Linda Flower View project Reflection: What Can Cognitive Rhetoric Offer Us? View project. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/200772468

Hayes, J. R., & Flower, L. (1980). Identifying the organization of writing processes. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/200772468

Lee, M. (2020). Exploring English Writing Strategies of Korean University Students through Activity Theory. Journal of Pan-Pacific Association of Applied Linguistics, 24(1), 17–44. https://doi.org/10.25256/paal.24.1.2

Mills, P. (2004). The Routledge Creative Writing Coursebook. In The Routledge Creative Writing Coursebook. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203499016

Schulze, S., & Lemmer, E. (2017). Supporting the development of postgraduate academic writing skills in South African universities. Per Linguam. https://doi.org/10.5785/33-1-702

Sweller, J., Van Merrienboer, J. J. G., & Paas, F. G. W. C. (1998). Cognitive Architecture and Instructional Design. Educational Psychology Review, 10(3), 251–296. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022193728205

Tredinnick, M. (2008). Writing well: The essential guide. In Writing Well: The Essential Guide. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511482090

Tulley, C. E. (2018). How writing faculty write: Strategies for process, product, and productivity. In How Writing Faculty Write: Strategies for Process, Product, and Productivity. https://doi.org/10.7330/9781607326625

Tzivinikou, S., Kagkara, D., Fountoukidou, A., & Kakoura, E. (2021). Reading and Writing Strategies Used by Typical and Struggling Readers: A Cross-Sectional Survey. Psychology, 12(05). https://doi.org/10.4236/psych.2021.125043

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society: Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Harvard University Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvjf9vz4

Williams, J., & Takaku, S. (2011). Help seeking, self-efficacy, and writing performance among college students. In Article in Journal of Writing Research. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/234118813

Wu, H., & Zhang, L. J. (2017). Effects of different language environments on Chinese graduate students’ perceptions of English writing and their writing performance. System, 65, 164–173. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.SYSTEM.2017.02.001

Yin, R. K. (2014a). Case Study Research Research: Design and Methods 5th Edition. In SAGE Publications (Vol. 26, Issue 1).

Yin, R. K. (2014b). Case Study Research:Design and Methods.

Yin, R. K. (2018). Case Study Research and Applications. In SAGE Publications Ltd. (Issue 6).

Zarestky, J., Bigler, M., Brazile, M., Lopes, T., & Bangerth, W. (2022). Reflective Writing Supports Metacognition and Self-regulation in Graduate Computational Science and Engineering. Computers and Education Open, 3, 100085. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.CAEO.2022.100085

Downloads

Additional Files

Published

2023-10-30

How to Cite

Vrika, R. (2023). Understanding Writing Habit in College: A Survey of Higher Education Students. Voices of English Language Education Society, 7(2), 425–434. https://doi.org/10.29408/veles.v7i2.21477

Issue

Vol. 7 No. 2 (2023): VELES (Voices of English Language Education Society)

Section

Articles

License

Authors who publish with the VELES Journal agree to the following terms:

  1. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).
  2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
  3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.

Creative Commons License

VELES Journal is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.